Composition of weathering crusts on sandstones from natural outcrops and architectonic elements in an urban environment

Abstract

This work presents mineralogical and chemical characteristics of weathering crusts developed on sandstones exposed to various air pollution conditions. The samples have been collected from sandstone tors in the Carpathian Foothill and from buildings in Kraków. It has been stated that these crusts differ in both fabric and composition. The sandstone black crust from tors is rich in organic matter and composed of amorphous silica. Sulphate incrustations accompanied by dust particles have been only sometimes observed. Beneath the black crust, a zone coloured by iron (oxyhydr)oxides occurs. The enrichment of the surface crust in silica and iron compounds protects the rock interior from atmospheric impact. The sandstones from architectonic details are also covered by a thin carbon-rich black crust, but they are visibly loosened. Numerous salts, mainly gypsum and halite, crystallise here, thus enhancing deterioration of the rock. Moreover, spherical particles originated from industrial emissions are much more common. Gypsum in natural outcrops, forms isolated and well-developed crystals, whilst these found on the architectonic details are finer and densely cover the surface. Such diversity reflects various concentrations of acid air pollutants in solutions.

Identification of secondary salts and their sources in deteriorated stone monuments using micro‐Raman spectroscopy, SEM‐EDS and XRD

“…the average winter concentration of SO 2 during winter is approximately four times higher and in the case of the PM10 nearly two times higher than the summer one). [20,61] In the Małopolska region, where Kraków is located, the load of compounds and elements introduced via atmospheric precipitation is high and follows a trend:…”

“…Most papers dealing with deterioration of natural stones and salt weathering are focused on limestones, less often on sandstones . Also infrequent are the works considering the cases when various natural and/or artificial construction materials (e.g.…”

“…[16,30] Most papers dealing with deterioration of natural stones and salt weathering are focused on limestones, [22,25,26,31,32] less often on sandstones. [20,30,33,34] Also infrequent are the works considering the cases when various natural and/or artificial construction materials (e.g. rocks vs plasters, mortars and bricks), which differ in their mineral composition and resistance to weathering, were used alongside each other and/or when the stone objects underwent in their past a conservation treatment on which reports are either not available or incomplete.…”

The Influence of Selected Organic Compounds on the Corrosion of Historical Glass Based on Their State of Preservation

“…If the environmental parameters are not controlled, they can contribute to their degradation and deterioration [1]. Glass objects can experience corrosion processes if exposed to large fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity * corresponding author; e-mail: egrwrona@agh.edu.pl as well as to high light levels.…”

Marmara ve Karadeniz Kıyılarındaki Güncel Sedimanlar İçinde Antroposen’in Varlığına Ait Yeni Bulgular

“…Even if presence of anthropogenic pollution in Turkey and even though this had been investigated, the beginning of this pollution or changing of it in geologic time has not been examined methodologically by going through geological layers in ancient times, except for Evans et al (1989) in Marmara, Atalar et al (2013) (Charola et al 2007;Török et al 2007;Gomez-Heras et al 2008;Marszałek et al 2014 Crutzen and Stoermer (2000), Crutzen (2002); Davis (2011) andFisherKowalski et al (2014). As a matter of course, the initiation of the Anthropocene is still unclear and should be discussed for a while in the scientific arena of geology.…”